Today is...
World Turtle Day

Did you know that turtles have been around for more than 200 million years? These ancient creatures evolved before mammals, birds, snakes, or lizards! Biologists believe that turtles have managed to outlive many other species due to the unique protection provided by their shells.
Turtles come in all different shapes and sizes, and can be found on every continent except Antartica. The smallest is the Bog Turtle, which usually measures just four inches in length, and the largest is the Leathery Turtle, which can weigh up to 1500 pounds!
To celebrate World Turtle Day, donate to your favorite “save the turtles” organization! 

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Today is also National Taffy Day & Chardonnay Day

This week is National Frozen Yogurt Week 
 
May is National Hamburger Month & National Strawberry Month & National Bike Month

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History for May 23 1785 - Benjamin Franklin wrote in a letter that he had invented bifocals. 1949 - The Republic of West Germany was established. ______________________________________________________ "The life which like the sun grows larger at its setting is the ideal." --Walter M. Bortz

Today is...
National Vanilla Pudding Day

 The delicious, creamy pudding we know and love today has been around since the 19th century. Most culinary historians agree that our modern recipe evolved from custards, which date back to Ancient Rome.
Jell-O introduced its first line of instant pudding in the 1950s. The advertising campaign announcing the new product promoted it as a “busy-day dessert.” Check out one of the original commercial spots!
To celebrate National Vanilla Pudding Day, make some delicious homemade vanilla pudding from scratch, or from an instant mix! For an extra special treat, pair it with fresh fruit or chocolate. Yum!

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This week is National Frozen Yogurt Week 
 
May is National Hamburger Month & National Strawberry Month & National Bike Month

images and text courtesy of MyPunchbowl.com" -- http://www.mypunchbowl.com/

History for May 22 1761 - In Philadelphia, the first life insurance policy was issued in the U.S. 1841 - Henry Kennedy received a patent for the first reclining chair. 1900 - The Associated Press was incorporated as a non-profit news cooperative in New York. 1985 - Pete Rose passed Hank Aaron as National League run scoring leader with 2,108. 1992 - Johnny Carson hosted NBC's "Tonight Show" for the last time. He had been host for 30 years. ______________________________________________________ "Do not be interested in the quantity of people who respect and admire you, but in their quality. If bad people dislike you, so much the better." --Lucius Annaeus Seneca

Today is...
National Strawberries and Cream Day

The simple combination of fresh sliced strawberries and homemade whipped cream has been a popular dish for centuries. In fact, in medieval England it was customary for newlyweds to enjoy strawberries and soured cream for their wedding breakfast.
The strawberry is the first fruit to ripen every spring and each refreshing bite contains high levels of Vitamin C, fiber, folic acid, and potassium. If you’re feeling experimental, there are many interesting variations on the classic strawberries and cream recipe. Try flavoring your whipped cream with amaretto liqueur or substituting a combination of fat-free sour cream and brown sugar instead. For a more elaborate dessert, put together a trifle with alternating layers of fruit, cream, and a sweet pastry such as ladyfinger cookies. For more ideas, check out these recipes for stuffed strawberries.
To celebrate National Strawberries and Cream Day, head to a local farm and pick your own fresh strawberries as a fun spring activity for the whole family. Then enjoy the fruits of your labor with a delicious snack of strawberries and cream at home!

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This week is National Frozen Yogurt Week 
 
May is National Hamburger Month & National Strawberry Month & National Bike Month

images and text courtesy of MyPunchbowl.com" -- http://www.mypunchbowl.com/

History for May 21 1840 - New Zealand was declared a British colony. 1881 - The United States Lawn Tennis Association was formed in New York City. 1969 - John Lennon and Yoko Ono began a ten-day "bed-in" in Montreal's Queen Elizabeth Hotel. ______________________________________________________ "We act as though comfort and luxury were the chief requirements of life, when all that we need to make us happy is something to be enthusiastic about." --Charles Kingsley

Today is...
National Bike to Work Day

Today is National Bike to Work Day! In 1956, the Cycle Trade Association of America announced the first ever Bike Month. The purpose of this occasion was to promote bicycle sales. Today, National Bike Month, Bike Week, and Bike to Work Day have a much broader focus. These events encourage safe bicycling practices and promote cycling as a legitimate commuting alternative.
Join thousands of other Americans and participate in Bike to Work Day today. Whether you are environmentally conscious or just love the exercise, biking to work is a great way to avoid the commuter traffic and stay in shape! Happy cycling!

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Today is also National Cherry Cobbler Day & Pack Rat Day

This week is  American Craft Beer Week
 
May is National Hamburger Month & National Strawberry Month & National Bike Month

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History for May 17 1792 - The New York Stock Exchange was founded at 70 Wall Street by 24 brokers. 1875 - The first Kentucky Derby was run at Louisville, KY. 1975 - Elton John’s "Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy" album was released. It was the first album to be certified a million-seller on its first day of release. 1975 - NBC TV bought the rights to show "Gone with the Wind." The one time rights cost NBC $5,000,000. 1985 - Bobby Ewing died on the season finale of "Dallas" on CBS-TV. He returned the following season. 1993 - Barry Manilow appeared on the CBS-TV's "Murphy Brown." 1998 - New York Yankees pitcher David Wells became the 13th player in modern major league baseball history to throw a perfect game. ______________________________________________________ "There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond our control." --Epictetus

Today is...
National Sea-Monkey Day

Sea-monkeys, which are also called “brine shrimp,” are small crustaceans that live in salt lakes. People in the United States have been keeping sea-monkeys as pets since the 1960s. Ever wondered how the sea-monkey got its name? These underwater creatures have long tails and demonstrate playful, monkey-like behavior!
One of the most fascinating characteristics of the sea-monkey is its ability to live for years as an egg before hatching. Purchased sea-monkeys only begin to hatch and grow once you’ve added the proper nutrients to the water environment. Fun Fact: Sea-monkeys have three eyes and breathe through their feet!
To celebrate National Sea-Monkey Day, buy some sea-monkeys of your own and enjoy watching them grow!

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Today is also Biographer's Day

This week is  American Craft Beer Week
 
May is National Hamburger Month & National Strawberry Month & National Bike Month

images and text courtesy of MyPunchbowl.com" -- http://www.mypunchbowl.com/

History for May 16 1866 - The U.S. Congress authorized the first 5-cent piece to be minted. 1946 - "Annie Get Your Gun" opened on Broadway. 1965 - The Beach Boys appeared on the "The Ed Sullivan Show" and performed "Help Me Rhonda." 1985 - Michael Jordan was named Rookie of the Year in the NBA. 1991 - Queen Elizabeth II became the first British monarch to address the U.S. Congress. 2000 - U.S. First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton was nominated to run for U.S. Senator in New York. She was the first U.S. first lady to run for public office. ______________________________________________________ "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away." --Anonymous

Today is...
National Chocolate Chip Day

In the 1930s, Ruth Graves Wakefield created the original chocolate chip cookie at her Toll House Inn in Whitman, Massachusetts. Ruth intended to bake chocolate cookies for her guests, but she ran out of baker’s chocolate. She substituted with chopped up semi-sweet chocolate morsels and discovered that the pieces did not melt into the dough as she expected. Her cookies were an instant hit. Today, 25% of all the cookies baked in the United States are chocolate chip!
To celebrate National Chocolate Chip Day, pick up a bag of chocolate chips at the supermarket and bake something yummy to share with friends and coworkers!

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This week is  American Craft Beer Week
 
May is National Hamburger Month & National Strawberry Month & National Bike Month

images and text courtesy of MyPunchbowl.com" -- http://www.mypunchbowl.com/

History for May 15 1862 - The U.S. Congress created the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 1926 - The New York Rangers were awarded a franchise by the National Hockey League (NHL). 1930 - Ellen Church became the first airline stewardess. 1941 - Joe DiMaggio began his historic major league baseball hitting streak of 56 games. 1964 - The Smothers Brothers, Dick and Tom, gave their first concert in Carnegie Hall in New York City. 1990 - Vincent Van Gogh's "Portrait of Doctor Gachet" was sold for $82.5 million. The sale set a new world record. ______________________________________________________ "Make voyages. Attempt them. There’s nothing else." --T.S. Eliot

Today is...
National Dance Like a Chicken Day

 Although we may not like to admit it, we all have rocked the Chicken Dance at least once or twice in our lives. This silly dance is a perennial favorite at birthday parties, bat mitzvahs, weddings, and other family gatherings.
A Swiss accordion player named Werner Thomas wrote the melody for the Chicken Dance song in the late 1950s. In 1963, he began performing it at his restaurant. The people who bravely stood up and danced along to the tune often used sporadic movements that reminded Thomas of ducks and chickens. By the time the Chicken Dance arrived in America in the 1970s, it had acquired set choreography with repetitive beak, wing, and tail motions.
Today, the Chicken Dance has earned a permanent place in the pantheon of cheesy party dances. Other favorites include the Hokey Pokey, the Electric Slide, and the Macarena. To celebrate National Dance Like a Chicken Day, turn on this familiar tune and dance like a chicken!

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Today National Buttermilk Biscuit Day & Shavuotis also 

This week is  American Craft Beer Week
 
May is National Hamburger Month & National Strawberry Month & National Bike Month

images and text courtesy of MyPunchbowl.com" -- http://www.mypunchbowl.com/

History for May 14 1787 - Delegates began gathering in Philadelphia for a convention to draw up the U.S. Constitution. 1853 - Gail Borden applied for a patent for condensed milk. 1878 - The name Vaseline was registered by Robert A. Chesebrough. 1913 - The Rockefeller Foundation was created by John D. Rockefeller with a gift of $100,000,000. 1985 - The first McDonald's restaurant became the first fast-food business museum. It is located in Des Plaines, Illinois. 1998 - The final episode of the TV series "Seinfeld" aired after nine years on NBC. ______________________________________________________ "Be thine own palace, or the world’s thy jail." --John Donne